Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter two

Chapter two

A low moaning sound caused her to open her eyes, groggily, and she realised the sound was coming from herself. Why did it hurt so much to breathe? She squeezed her eyes shut again, pain burning with each swallow she took. Her mouth felt so dry.

Her eyes opened again, the low peeping of machinery welcoming her into the room. It was a comfortable looking bedroom with it's thick curtains drawn and one lamp dimly lit in the corner. Another groan as she tried to sit up, it hurt so much just to move. Her hand reflexively shot to her throat as her memories flooded back to her, and she noticed the IV for the first time, attached on her arm near the elbow.

Were these bruises, she wondered, or was it her eyesight? Her skin seemed to be covered in dark, purple stains. Right, she thought to herself, that's from when I went back home. Home...

"Hello?" a soft voice rang out musically, as the doorway opened and a face peeped in. "You are awake?"

It's him! She thought to herself, sitting upwards, trying to speak with only a ragged sound escaping her lips. He entered the room quietly, closing the door with a soft click behind him.

"It's alright, don't try to speak. The medical team did a wonderful job getting you back in stable condition, but I'm afraid...well, how do I put this?" he said, almost whispering while sitting himself gracefully at the foot of the bed with one hand on his chin.

She raised her hand in front of her, to stop him from continuing. She knew she couldn't speak. She just couldn't bear to hear the words out loud, not yet.

His head cocked to the side, quizzical, and then a grim line etched itself on his lips. "Yes, of course. I understand completely. My apologies."

The two sat quietly for a moment amid the machines peeping that monitored her heartbeat, her mind a flurry of thoughts and emotions that Abe was clearly aware of and was having trouble keeping up with. He turned to face her after a beat, and stretched a hand towards her, his webbed fingers strong yet seemingly gentle. "May I?"

It took a moment for her brain to catch up, but understanding dawned and she obliged, reaching her own bruised hand out and placing it in his. His fingers curled gently around hers, and their minds seemed to melt into one another. Sights, sounds, it was all here.

That sadness she had felt emanate from him before was back, and something new. He pushed closer to the young woman as she unknowingly began to cry, small sobs wracking painfully and silently through her. It felt like an intrusion to pull someone else so close when he was unused to such things, but he needed to. It was that simple.

"It's alright. You're safe now, this is your new home for as long as you want it. It's really very close to my own tank and quarters you know, and right next to the library! I can tell you love to read, well just wait until you are feeling better and you won't believe all of the wonderful books there are waiting for you!"

The situation may have seemed strange, but as her cries subsided and she settled quietly against his chest, she felt a small flutter somewhere deep down inside of her chest.

I would like that, she thought, looking up into the same deep eyes that now seemed to search her very soul, and another small flutter pressed against her chest as he smiled a gentle smile down at her, squeezing her hand gently.

She tried to speak again, to say his name, anything, and her body felt like doubling into itself as a searing pain tore through her neck, her throat.

"How could they be so cruel...?" he added, barely noticing his own actions as his free hand cradled her neck, his thumb softly touching the edge of the thick bandage. "So cruel, so very cruel..."

The two jumped as the door thumped open, big Red himself standing in the doorway that now filled the room with light from the brightly lit corridor "Blue, there's been a call. Possession, small kids, you know the drill. Put the lady down already and let's go!"

Abe all but tore himself away in a fluster, just now realising how close the two had been together, alone in a dark bedroom and on her bed! He stuttered his goodbyes full of embarrassment and promised to return soon, and she couldn't help but smile a little through cracked lips when Hellboy roared out the door after him "Is that you blushing, blueboy?"

The giant red skinned man stepped into the room, and in a gentler voice said "Hey. I'm Red. Sorry 'bout what happened to you an all, witches are such bitches! Present company not included, 'course. Anyway, you need anything, you come to me an Liz, Ok? Hope you like cats!"

With a wave from his large, stony looking arm he was gone, leaving the young woman puzzled and slightly bemused on the bed amid the peeping of the heart monitor, with a lot to think about.